Electrochemical cleavage of azo linkage for site-selective immobilization and cell patterning

A new molecular structure of azobenzene, which can be reduced to the corresponding anilines at a low reduction potential for the site-selective immobilization of biomolecules, is proposed. Redox-active species, enzymes, peptides, and cultured hippocampal neurons can be effectively immobilized on the electrochemically activated surface.